Basketball: Beckner, Van Buren Advance To Saturday’s Semifinals
CABOT — The bar for the remaining games in this year’s state tournament, courtesy Beau Beckner and Tevin Brewer, has been set astronomically high.
As Missouri signee and Van Buren star Mitchell Smith dealt with foul trouble in the second half, Brewer took full advantage, scoring a game- and career-high 42 points on 14-of-21 from the floor.
But Smith being forced to sit and watch wasn’t something Beckner or Van Buren head coach Randy Loyd hadn’t seen this season. The junior forward poured in a team-high 27 points, willing the Pointers to a spot in Saturday’s state semifinals with a 78-73 win.
Beckner was the recipient of backdoor finds from guard Jaylynn Dye and, in overtime, scored the Pointers’ first six points, including an and-1 that sent Van Buren’s fans into a frenzy.
“Beau has been a guy that’s played like that all year,” Loyd said. “He’s taking opportunities of Jaylynn getting in there and dishing it to him like he did tonight. What a great game in a state tournament game like that. He made big plays in overtime.”
Following a Jordan Barlow blocked shot with Northside down four, 74-70, Dye then knocked home four free throws to seal it. Dye finished with 18 points and eight rebounds.
Unlike Wednesday, the three-point shot wasn’t falling early on for Northside. After one period, the Grizzlies had made just one on its first eight attempts. But behind Brewer’s gutsy effort, he turned what was once a 14-9 deficit into a 25-24 lead after a 10-0 run.
Brewer scored 14 of his 16 first half points in the second period and, at the half, the Grizzlies trailed just 37-32 although Van Buren was shooting 62 percent from the floor and 13-of-18 inside the three-point arc.
The second half didn’t begin the way Eric Burnett would have liked. Four possessions into the third, the Grizzlies committed four turnovers. That, combined with a pair of quick shots, gave Van Buren easy chances on the other end. Just a few minutes into the second half and Van Buren held what appeared to be a comfortable 13-point lead.
Then, with 2:07 left in the third and the Pointers up 10, Smith picked up his fourth foul. Brewer sunk a deep triple moments later to cut the deficit to seven. After three, the Pointers maintained an eight-point edge.
Beckner opened the fourth with a big and-1 to put Van Buren back up 10, but an Isaiah Joe four-point play sparked a 9-0 Northside run. Smith then re-entered and immediately scored in the paint, putting the Pointers back up three, 58-55. On the ensuing possession, Brewer knotted the game with an NBA-range three-pointer.
“He really stepped up big for us tonight,” Eric Burnett said of Brewer. “He put the team on his back, and I thought he played a heck of a game and gave us an opportunity to win. When we got down 12-14 he started making some plays and said, ‘I don’t want it to end like this.’”
Northside would complete the comeback and take a 63-62 lead on a Tre Norwood and-1 that knocked Smith from the game with his fifth foul. Van Buren didn’t panic, though, as the Grizzlies led by as many as two late.
“It’s happened before, luckily,” Loyd said of Smith fouling out. “We’ve played a few games without him this year, and that’s when Beau really steps his game up. Mitchell goes out, and Beau steps his game up again.”
A Barlow lay-in tied the game once again, and with time winding down in regulation, Brewer drove to the basket and was whistled for an offensive foul. Following a Van Buren turnover on the inbound pass, extra time became necessary. Beckner then came through, capping his night with six big points. He also added eight rebounds to his big scoring night.
Brewer scored all nine of Northside’s points in the overtime, including his sixth three of the night as the buzzer sounded to put him over 40 points.
“What a great player. What else can you say? I told the guys I don’t know how we’d guard him tomorrow if we had to play him,” Loyd said of Brewer. “He’s a great high school basketball player. That’s all I can say.”
The junior guard shot 9-of-11 from inside the three-point line, and was the only Grizzly in double figures. Gage Griffin added eight while Tyrell Perry and Isaiah Joe pitched in six.
For Van Buren, having Friday off is a plus as a possible matchup with Malik Monk and Bentonville awaits.
“I think our guys will know how to accept this win, and prepare for Bentonville or whoever it is,” Loyd said. “We’ll do some resting (Friday), some practice and be ready to go at 1 p.m.”
Northside’s season comes to a close at 16-14. Brewer finishes his junior campaign with a 16.9 points per game average.